Should you freeze your alkaline batteries?

You may have heard the age old tip that if you freeze your batteries they will last longer. Is it true? Technically yes, but we don’t recommend it.

The term Cold Cranking Amps or “CCA” can be found all over our website in regards to our Powersport batteries. This rating tells us the start-up power of a battery in a cold environment (technically 0ºF). The reason it’s tested in the cold is because it’s harder for a battery to start up in lower temperatures due to its increased internal resistance. But, guess what else cold temperatures do?

Cooler temperatures decrease the discharge rate of a battery. So, an alkaline battery in room temperature that discharges at a rate of <2% per year would discharge a bit slower if you kept it in a cooler environment, but only by a very small amount. This goes for keeping batteries in hot environments too, the warmer the temperature, the quicker the battery will lose life.

The ideal situation to actually use your alkaline battery is a nice 68ºF (20ºC). We don’t recommend freezing or refrigerating your batteries. Instead, just store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.